Posts Tagged ‘fiction’

In death she found life.Florence Sterling should be perfectly happy. She’s been given a second chance at life with her beloved husband. But all is not well. She yearns for more children, even though Alex is reluctant. Memories of the day she and her baby were murdered still haunt her. And she can’t shake the feeling she will be separated from Alex again.

As if in confirmation of her premonition, Alex is called on a dangerous mission to enlist America’s aid in WWII. Trying to distract herself, Florence investigates what really happened when her son died. As she searches, she becomes convinced her son is alive, although witnesses say otherwise. And with each clue she discovers, she unwittingly draws closer to her old enemy—the deranged woman who will stop at nothing to destroy her.

When Alex goes missing in action, Florence must reach deeply into her faith as she faces her greatest fears. If Alex is lost to the war, will she allow herself to love another man and fulfill her desire to have a family? Or will she remain alone the rest of her life?

Book one in this series WON the bronze medal with the Readers’ Favorite International competition

Marcia was born and raised in Argentina during the military regime which ended with the loss of many young lives in the invasion of the Falkland Islands. Amidst the devastating effects of military government and war, reading and writing became a passion which expanded and transported her imagination with the possibility of a brighter future.

At the age of eighteen, she moved to the United States, where she studied English and started her own family. She soon discovered that the love she has for her husband and children would naturally unfold towards her European roots, leading her to become a genealogist and family historian. A decade of searching, compiling, and learning the stories of thousands of people has instilled in her a profound gratitude for the strong ties that can be achieved in families through personal sacrifice.

So it is that through fiction, Shadows of Time duology (Awaken, Shadows of a Forgotten Past and Alive, Shadows of a Living Past) explores and exposes the characteristics of true love and loyalty in times of fear, war, and finally, death. But perhaps the most captivating element in the story is the battle within the souls of the main characters as they search to know who they really are and how they are connected.

HEATHER TULLIS has been reading romance for as long as she can remember and has been publishing in the genre since 2009. She has published more than twenty books.

When she’s not dreaming up new stories to write, or helping out with her community garden, she enjoys playing with her dogs and cat, cake decorating, trying new jewelry designs, inventing new ways to eat chocolate, and hanging out with her husband.

Jonah Owens thought moving to Echo Ridge to open his art gallery would solve all of his problems. The need to sell his grandma’s house adds an unexpected complication. It would be easier if his neighbor didn’t have all those farm animals.

Kaya Feidler’s family has owned their land for nearly a hundred years–long before the neighbors were there. There’s no way she’s giving up the animal therapy business she’s been struggling to make profitable. She gets a temp job helping Jonah in the gallery.

Spending time together is a recipe for romance, but can they overcome their own hangups to be more than friends?

Jonah picked at a piece of shredded
lettuce on his sandwich. “I’d do anything for my grandma. Besides, I love it
here, and I was ready for a change. A complete change.” He’d been dragging
around trying to paint post-Janet. This was a fresh start in many ways.

“She said you haven’t painted anything in a long time.” Kaya’s words
were hesitant, as though she wanted to ask, but didn’t want to pry.

“I hit a wall.” He paused. It felt wrong to gloss it over with Kaya,
though he didn’t know why. He went with the impulse. “I was dating someone
seriously. When it ended, I found I could only paint dark stuff. Stuff I
wouldn’t buy or hang, and definitely wouldn’t sell. I tried working through it,
but I tried so hard to paint things I wasn’t feeling that I ended up not being
able to paint at all. Nothing remotely good, anyway. Technically correct, but
not emotionally true at all, so I had to stop. The gallery is sort of my backup
plan.” It had taken a long time for him to admit it was what he had to do.

Former action-movie star Chet has counted the days since he lost his wife last New Year’s Eve almost a year ago. When he’s given a shot at starring in a reboot of her favorite TV show, he jumps at it. But there’s a catch: the producers won’t hire him unless he can prove he’s regained emotional stability—by bringing a steady girlfriend to his five auditions.

Which means: five mandatory dates for this bereft widower.

Social worker Holly lost her fiancé to war. With his good life snuffed out too soon, she feels compelled to finish his bucket list of unselfish deeds. But four years later, several remain, and they’re ridiculously impossible. Until she accomplishes her soldier’s dreams, she can’t even consider moving on with her life.

When they meet on the beach at Getaway Bay, what she doesn’t know is homeless-looking mourner Chet is actually Colt Winchester, screen star and fashion icon. What he doesn’t know is that he’s a means to an end.

When their walls start to crumble on their Christmas season dates, can these two find love again, or will they forever be chasing ghosts?”

“Excuse me.” A server approached with a silver platter covered with frosted sugar cookies. “Would you care for a cookie?”

“Who says no to a sugar cookie?” Holly took two—a star and a snowman. “Thank you.” One bite of the star’s vanilla-almond buttercream frosting sent her mouth into ecstasy.

“These are good,” Chet ate his green-frosted Christmas tree in two bites.

“Did you try the snowman?” The frosting of her second cookie melted into a sweet coconutty heaven on her tongue. “Mmm. It’s childhood in a sugary bite.”

“Do you bake?” He spoke through a mouthful. “Mmm. Cookies are love.”

Chet caught Holly off guard. He hadn’t seemed like the type to make such a tender analogy.

“Ah, sometimes. And you’re right. Especially sugar cookies. They require so many steps I always just buy them.” She never made them. Not even for Rick. “The only thing that could motivate a person to make them is love of the recipients of the cookies.”

“That,” Chet said, “or a deep love of sugar cookies.”

“Gluttony could also be a motivator.”

“Where’s that platter? We should get more of those.” Spoken like a true hungry person.

Holly had never experienced true hunger, at least not physical hunger. Maybe Chet needed more cookies.

“If we walk around, we might run into the sugar cookie person again.” Or someone with another kind of food, if Chet needed it. However, tonight, Chet seemed a lot less like a guy who needed to fish to feed himself than he had the other day.

They walked toward a table with chairs and sat down. Chet reached across the table and took her by both hands. “I think girlfriend is right for now.”

Girlfriend. Holly stared down at their clasped hands atop the green velvet tablecloth. His were rough, like they’d held a fishing rod in the sun for a lot of hours, day after day. She’d seen him on the shore.

“So that makes you my boyfriend.” The word sounded younger than she felt. The last four years had aged her. Against her collarbone, Rick’s unused wedding ring heated up again. “You work fast.”

–From a scene in which unbeknownst
to Scrooge, Marley’s spirit has accompanied Scrooge and the Ghost of
Christmas Present to the marketplace:

At that moment, an urchin of no more than five stood before the trio. Whether she could not see Marley and Scrooge, or whether she simply paid them no mind, it could not be discerned, but there was no question she saw the ghost, as she surveyed his entire wardrobe and stared with delight into his face. The spirit smiled
down at her. He took his cornucopia torch and tipped it above her head, which
caused a soundless waterfall of glistening sparkles, like a thousand miniature
sprites, that seemed to flow into the girl as they touched her.

“Spirit,” asked Jacob, “why does she see you?”

“I cannot stop her. It is not that I choose to reveal myself to her, but I am revealed by her purity. She sees me because her eyes are not shrouded with doubt or hate,
fear or selfishness or greed. Her heart is innocent, and her eyes are an
extension of that heart. My mission is the goodness of man in this season, and
I cannot keep it from her.”

“Do all the children see you?”

“No, just the ones whose spirits are so remarkable, they tend to live in both
worlds.”

“And what is that with which you christened her?”

“Joy, that it might fill her needs a bit.”

Marley seemed troubled. “She does not look like she needs joy. I think she needs
food—and clothing.”

“Look about you,” said the spirit more sternly. “Do you see food?”

Marley again took in the array of fruits and vegetables and nuts and plants of all
kinds. “I do, Spirit. So much that to feed this little one even all she could
swallow would not make a noticeable scratch on this abundance.”

“And do you see people?” There were men and women and children bustling about, wishing each other the greatest merriment of the day and generally enjoying the
morning.

“I do, Spirit, many.”

“And what number of that many are stooping down to offer one bite, or perhaps an old shawl they would never miss, to this poor girl?”

Jacob noticed that the crowds seemed completely oblivious to the child, walking
around her and even bumping her at times, looking down only to see what
inconvenience they had stepped on and, upon finding it to be only an urchin
girl, looking back up to continue their conversations, never missing a word.
“None,” Jacob confessed. “Not one seems to notice her.”

“They all could, Jacob, if they chose. But they seem not to care. So, in this, I provide
a little to give her what they may not.”

“But if she is hungry, why not give her all she needs?”

“Do not think that a spirit does not have a kind heart! For we do. I ache for her
needs. But if I were to give her food and clothing and a home, what would be
required of you?”

Leah
Parker’s fate had always been controlled by others—who she loved
and who she lost. Five years after the tragic murder of her
daughter’s father, she’s done everything in her power to protect
her little girl from the outside world. But she’s rebelled against
fate in the past and no act of defiance goes unpunished in the
Enchanter community.

The
ultimate power wants to correct the damage done by Jae and the only
way they can do that is by getting rid of her special child—a child
destined to replace all branches of Enchanter magic one day.

But,
Leah isn’t willing to go down without a fight. She will do anything
to save what Jae died to protect, even if she must turn against the
Circle of Elders. But when her first love, Brandon Morris walks back
into her life, Leah knows nothing will ever be the same again.

Leah
must confront her past, before she and her daughter are erased from
her family line. She must get over her guilt and rely on Brandon to
ensure her daughter’s survival. But will the pain from their past
destroy their friendship forever? Or will their old bond hold them
together and carry them through what’s ahead?

Kristy Centeno loves to spin tales of creatures that go bump in the night, with a sprinkle of romance to top them off. Her passion for writing stems from a lifelong enjoyment of reading and the pleasure derived from the magical worlds created by authors like her. She prefers her female leads strong, independent, and stubborn who will stop at nothing to save their loved ones and protect those they care for.

Kristy currently resides in Pennsylvania with her five kids and a trio of noisy parakeets. When she’s not working or writing, she juggles her free time between raising a handful of minions and pursuing other career goals.

Eva Marie Everson is the bestselling, multiple award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction. She is the president of Word Weavers International and the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference and the North Georgia Christian Writers Conference.

Eva Marie is a popular speaker at writers conferences and women’s groups across the United States.

Award-winning author Eva Marie Everson wraps up a Christmas story of hope, love, and forgiveness just in time for the holidays.

The Ornament Keeper, a contemporary Christmas novella, features Felicia and Jackson Morgan who are spending their first Christmas apart after twenty years of marriage. But a lifetime of gifted ornaments helps Felicia piece together the story of their marriage and the one mistake of unforgiveness she made before they said, “I do.”

Can these memory-filled ornaments reunite this family before Christmas? Only time will tell.

I tiptoed past my sleeping daughter, her arms still wrapped around Mr. Snuggles, her cheeks flushed from crying, and into the hallway, then down the stairs where my purse still lay in the wingback chair. After pulling out my phone, I called Jackson, then held my breath, wondering if he would bother to answer.

“I’m too tired for round two,” he said as a sleepy hello.

“I’m not calling for that,” I said, keeping my voice low. “I wanted you to know that Sara came home early. She—she um . . . she’s pretty upset. Billy broke up with her today.”

Jackson sighed deeply from the other end. “Oh, man. Did she say why?”

“Something about it being too long between marriage and his degree or some such nonsense. But she—”

When I didn’t finish my thought, he asked, “What? She what?” “Well,” I said, easing back in the chair, “She indicated that—I don’t think anything has, you know, happened between them.”

His groan lasted what felt like a full minute. “Felicia, honestly. Is that all you ever worry about?”

I frowned. Out of the three of us—them and me—which of us was right? Could it be as they’d always said? Had I let my fears get the better of me? Had it tainted my views on everything? “Now you sound like Sara,” I admitted. Or had she sounded like him?

“At least she’s still got her good sense then. And if I know our daughter, like her old man, she’ll pull herself up by her bootstraps and be fine. By this time tomorrow, Billy what’s-his-name will be just that. Nothing but a faint memory.”

Like her old man? “Is that what’s happened with us? Have you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps? Are you fine without us?”

He growled. “Felicia—”

“Jackson, I didn’t call to have a tug of war with words.” I crossed my legs.

“Then why did you call?”

“Because,” I said as though my reasoning should be obvious. “Sara is your daughter too. And I thought you’d want to know.”

“Of course I want to know.”

“And for your information, that is not all I worry about. I just don’t want—”

“What?” he asked. And when I didn’t answer—when I couldn’t answer for the knot forming in my throat—he answered for me. “You don’t want her to end up like you? Pregnant and married? Not because she’s in love and can’t see the raw future for the stars in her eyes but because it’s expected of her? My gosh, Felicia, I thought we’d gotten past all that. I thought we’d built something and built it out of nothing. Those kids of ours didn’t come out of three one-night stands, you know.”

My jaw flexed. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this, Jackson. I only wanted you to know—”

“Thank you, then. Thank you for telling me. I’ll come by in the morning before work to check on her.”

“I doubt she’ll be awake . . .”

“Then I’ll text her in the morning and see if she wants to meet for lunch.” He waited a breath before adding. “Leesha . . .”

“What,” I whispered.

“Don’t think for one minute that I haven’t been in love with you since senior year. That night—the night after Dad died—may not have been our wisest move, but I don’t regret it. Not for one second.”

I squeezed my eyes shut against his words. Hot tears pushed past my lashes and made their way down my cheeks.

“I can only pray that one day you’ll feel the same way. One thing I’ve learned in all this is that God uses everything, Felicia. Even our mess-ups.”

Audria Rylatt is the school system’s liaison for homeless students. She strives to make Christmas bright for hundreds, while the season brings only heartache after her fiancé was killed in combat nearly two years ago. So when her family decides to play matchmaker, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, they’ve invited a soldier friend of her deceased fiancé to the family cabin for the holiday.

But she’s surprised to find this soldier, Quinton Nolan, standing at the door of heart. Faced with painful memories, the despair Christmas brings her, and the fear to love again, Audria is in desperate need of a Christmas miracle. Or at least some of the hope Christmas seems to offer so many. Can she embrace a new mission? If so, Christmas may stand to deliver a lifetime of magical memories.

“Christmas on a Mission” is a delightful story of hope, life, love, and second chances, filled with all the joy and cheer Christmas brings.”

She pulled Perry onto her lap and rubbed around his ears until he began to doze. Soon, Gatlinburg faded, and the asphalt roads turned to gravel. They began to wind and curve upward, higher and higher until her ears popped. She yawned to relieve the pressure and watched as the evergreen trees grew thicker with each turn. Freshly fallen snow perched on their limbs. A cardinal darted low, his crimson feathers a delightful sharp contrast against the patches of snow. He

followed along the car for no more than a heartbeat and then flew back to his home high in the treetops. She smiled and let the mountains welcome her back.

The family cabin peeked from its hill, the green roof laden with snow–a Christmas card scene come to life.

It had been two years since she’d seen this place. Two years since she let the hills hold her and speak solace to her soul. This was where she felt closest to God. Why had she stayed away? Why had she not drawn near?

Tension melted from her shoulders, the driest patches of her soul thirsted and craved the respite so near. Two years was too long.

So much had happened.

Parts of her had grown and mended…yet…not all.

But she was back, drawing near, and the thought was at once was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Tamara Passey, author of the The Christmas Tree Keeper: A Novel, was born and raised in Massachusetts around a large family, one that has served as inspiration for most of her writing. She loves most creative endeavors and when she isn’t writing or re-writing, you can find her baking or cross-stitching or walking–though not all at the same time. She lives with her husband and children in Arizona.

Scrooge is mean, Marley is a ghost. This isn’t the best setup for a
Christmas story. Were you writing this for Halloween or something? Also, why do
you call your chapters staves? Whatever. I’m just glad they’re short.

Peggy is a small town girl who loves the city and the ocean (and the mountains as long as she doesn’t have to camp or hike).

She credits her dad and the lack of television in her parents’ home for her love of reading and her imagination. She credits the guy who’s been hanging the moon for over 25 years for her belief in romance and true love. Five wonderful children, extended family, and great friends keep life exciting.

“A Christmas engagement, broken two months later, rocked Candy Kaine’s world. After months of a schedule crammed with college courses, a full time job, and a few side jobs, the busyness is wearing thin. But school is still top priority. Until a fancy resort threatens to buy the satellite campus in the small town where she lives and takes classes.

Jace Marlowe has been down on his luck. Can a temporary job for an upscale resort in his home town be the turn around he’s looking for? The only problem? His grandmother’s beautiful neighbor who wants to keep the school just where it is. If she doesn’t get her way will she be as vindictive as his ex?

A charmed nativity facilitates the past, present, and future experiences for Candy but will she have the courage to open her heart before it’s too late?”

Arabella Sheraton grew up on a diet of Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and many other writers of that period. From Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, Arabella has found both enjoyment and inspiration in sparkling, witty Regency novels. She also loves history and generally finds the past more fascinating than the future. Arabella wrote her first Regency romance to entertain her aged mom who loved the genre. Arabella is honoured to share the adventures of her heroes and heroines with readers.

In this delightful traditional Regency romance, Miss Diana Dashwood accepts an invitation to Lady Prescott’s Christmas party at Camden House, in the countryside. But things do not go quite as she imagined. Through an unexpected event, she is forced to spend the night in a woodsman’s hut with one of the guests. What a scandal!

Of course, Sir Gareth Blakely must propose, and he does. Unfortunately, Miss Diana Dashwood has already been engaged to and broken off her engagement from Sir Gareth Blakely after a bitter quarrel. Is it likely she will bow to social pressure and accept his proposal, one made only to save her reputation, and if they marry, does their union stand a chance of survival?

And what about the pretty heiress, Miss Jemima Plymstock, whom everyone thinks is the lady Sir Gareth had his eye upon? Headstrong and proud, Miss Diana Dashwood is caught in a dreadful dilemma. A must-read for Regency fans!

Diana stepped into the carriage as if hypnotized and sat next to Miss Plymstock. “What are you going to do to me?” she asked.

Mr. Rundle put on an expression of exaggerated surprise while Miss Taggart giggled behind one black-gloved hand. He stroked his beard.

“My dear Miss Dashwood, you are so imaginative. You make me sound like a villain in these romantic novels so popular with young ladies nowadays. I am going to do nothing to you. You will witness the marriage, along with Miss Taggart. I will begin my honeymoon with my lovely young bride, and the carriage will return you to town. Then you will, no doubt, make your way back to London and forget all about Jemima.”

He gave a leering wink.

“She will be too busy learning her new marital duties as Mrs. Rundle to keep up any acquaintance with you.”

He knocked on the roof of the carriage to signal the driver. Miss Plymstock moaned but did not wake. Diana looked out of the carriage window as the horses gained speed.

What have I done? I was a fool not to wait for Mr. Whittaker. Oh, Gareth, if only you were here.

Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

A stolen Christmas kiss leaves them bewildered and breathless. A charming rogue-turned-vicar, Will wants to prove that he left his rakish days behind him, but an accidental kiss changes all his plans. His secret could bring them together…or divide them forever.

Holly has two Christmas wishes this year; finally earn her mother’s approval by gaining the notice of a handsome earl, and learn the identity of the stranger who gave her a heart-shattering kiss…even if that stranger is the resident Christmas ghost.

Will set the ladder near one of the columns and eyed the metal supports
bolted to the pillars on either side of the altar. Good. All was ready for the
candles to be placed for the Christmas service. Miss Gray moved like a dancer
amidst the pews, her slender, yet curvy form softly contrasting with the stone
walls. She was such a spot of cheer.

Raised to marry a lord. Not a vicar.

That same kicked-in-the-gut sensation returned. Muttering under his
breath, Will followed the rector into the vestry to collect the candles. He
hurried back, almost starving for Miss Gray’s presence. As they worked, Miss
Gray hummed The Holly and the Ivy.

Will listened to her sweet voice for a moment and couldn’t resist joining
in. Bradbury also sang with a strong bass that harmonized with the melody. Was
there anything that wretched lord didn’t do well? Will indulged in some very
un-Christian thoughts about the oh-so-perfect lord.

Mrs. Gray also sang, with a voice as lovely as her daughter’s. After a
moment, the cheery tunes lifted Will’s mood. Standing on the ladder, Will added
the extra candles needed for the Christmas service, then assisted in wrapping
the columns as Miss Gray had suggested.

In less than an hour, they transformed the humble parish church into a
celebratory Christmas haven, almost fit for a drawing room.

Will choked and laughed at the outrageous statement. Honestly, he agreed.
Lord Bradbury’s eyes widened. Mrs. Gray shot her daughter a withering look.

The poor girl flushed and bit her lip, looking down. “Erm, I mean…”

Mr. Appleby didn’t see the humor, either. “Adding such a pagan symbol as
mistletoe would no doubt create a public outcry and possibly have me removed
from my position as vicar.”

Of course, if Will could get Miss Holly Gray beneath a kissing ball….

Ahem.

For all intents and purposes, Will had given his word not to pursue her.
He reviewed his newfound resolve to cling to duty, to turn over a new leaf in
life, and to please his family by bringing honor rather than dishonor to the
Berry name. Keeping his word, duly given to a lady, fell squarely into that
resolve. No more romantic fantasies about Miss Gray.

Very well, he’d
avoid Holly Gray as much as possible without appearing to give her the cut. He
must resist talking to her or even looking at her. He must.

Of course, that
included ensuring that she never discover who had kissed her, which meant he
must continue an ungentlemanly deception.

Lauraine Henderson lives with her husband, dog and cat on 68 acres of woodland 40 miles north of Portland, Oregon. After growing up in Oregon, they moved their family of three children to Utah. From there they moved to Hawaii and Arizona, finally coming back to Oregon in 2015. Their three children, two girls and a boy are all grown and live across the United States.

After being a professional bookkeeper for over twenty years, she turned her hobby of writing into her first published novel in 2016. She loves to write inspirational romance and romantic comedy and hopes her readers will be both entertained and uplifted by her stories. When she’s not writing, she’s working her way through online university, loves to paint (watercolors, oils, and acrylics), sew, knit, crochet, make beaded jewelry, and read (of course!).

George Stone can’t wait for the Christmas season to be over and his employees, especially his executive assistant, Kathryn Gleason, focused once again on their work. When a missing report requires George to stop in at Kathryn’s parents’ home the day before Christmas Eve, he ends up as an unexpected guest. Between the haunting journals of his late grandfather and the unsettling dream of an unhappy future, George is swept away by the magic of Kathryn’s charm and her family’s love.

Will the Spirit of Christmas show George the happiness he’s missing and will Kathryn’s warmth and beauty melt his cold heart?

Had she ever seen George’s eyes sparkle like that? Maybe when he’d been
angry. But he wasn’t angry now and Kathryn pulled in a deep breath as she found
herself drawn into George’s deep brown eyes and matched their intensity.

Time slowed. “Oh!” Kathryn’s foot slipped and she fell back, landing
softly in the cold blanket of white. George relinquished his snowball, followed
her into the snow, and held himself above her while he shook cold, white
crystals from his knit hat over her face.

“Stop! Please. You win.” Kathryn laughed. “I give!”

“What do you give, Kathryn? What do I win?”

George asked so seriously, Kathryn had to look carefully to make sure
he was still teasing.

“What do you want, George?” Flirting wasn’t really her style, but he
brought out the tease in her.

George’s eyes flitted over her face, stopping at her eyes and then
moving on to her mouth. Her lips parted of their own accord and George leaned
in.

“Oomph!” George grunted when three little bodies all jumped on him and
pushed him against Kathryn. “I’m sorry. Are you hurt?” he asked in her ear,
barely above a whisper.

“I’m great,” she answered, the eyes glimmering back at him with
unfulfilled promises.

George licked his lips and pushed the kids off his back. Kathryn was
fairly certain she heard him say, “Later,” before he turned and pretended to
attack his assailants.

Even
though Gloria is determined to change her reputation, most of the
women in town still think she’s a tramp. Sure, she may have dressed
a little flashy and dated pretty much every single guy in town, but
that’s the past. Now that she wants to make a fresh start, will
Smithville give her a second chance?

Ned
has heard all the gossip, but being the Sheriff’s Deputy, he sees
all the kind things Gloria does behind the scenes for the folks of
Smithville. It looks like the upcoming Christmas Pageant will offer
him the opportunity to spend time with her, but can he overcome a
frustrating stutter and talk to her, face to face?

Your
favorite characters from the Hometown Series bring craziness, love,
and Smithville Christmas style, to a whole new romance about
overcoming your past and sharing your deepest secrets. Fall in love
and be swept away with the Christmas Eve celebration of your dreams.

Kirsten
grew up in the Western US and graduated from high school in
1984. She married soon there after and quickly built a family.
With three young children and number four on the way, she returned to
college in 1992. Her career as a draftsman included many settings
ranging from a steel fabrication shops to prestigious engineering
firms. Balancing family life with the workplace forced her to
become the queen of multitasking. In 2001, bored with the cubical
life, she moved on to teach drafting in technical college, then to
opening her own consulting firm teaching 3D engineering software. Due
to health problems, Kirsten retired in 2012 to travel with her
husband for his job. She now works writing romance novels and enjoys
spoiling her three grandchildren. Since 2017 Kirsten has lived and
worked full time in a 40′ travel trailer with her husband and her
little dog Bingo.

Tired of being the smallest dinosaur, Bob sets out on an adventure to change his appearance. After facing many obstacles, Bob decides that being small isn’t as bad as he thought it was.

When the wizards steals all the color from Bob’s home, the littlest dinosaur goes in search of the color fairies. But when they refuse to help simply because he’s different, he has to find another way to restore the colors.

Karlie Lucas is a preschool teacher by day and a writer/artist by night.A graduate of Southern Utah University, Karlie received a B.A. in Creative Writing, with a minor in art. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, The International English Honor Society, as well as ANWA, the American Night Writers Association.

Karlie is interested in all things magical and mysterious, especially elves and dragons. She is an avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling.

When not writing, Karlie can often be found drawing, baking, watching her favorite old school shows, or just spending time with her family.

She currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her husband and a cat named Kally

***** Bod the Littlest Dinosaur written and Illustrated by Karlie Lucas

This is a cute tale of how a small dinosaur wants to grow big. He goes to see a wizard and travels through different places to get there. He learns several lessons on his journey to make his wish come true.

Beautiful colored illustrations are found in each page of this book. They are sensible, clear, and cute, not too busy or huge, just perfect for the page. This will be a great addition to any child’s library and can be used to read along with a parent, or alone by a child.

***** Bob the Littlest Dinosaur and the Color Fairy written and Illustrated by Karlie Lucas

In this tale, Bob the littlest Dinosaur wakes up one morning to find all the colors gone from his land. His new friend, the gnome, says it is the bad wizard. He suggests that Bob go to the land of the color fairy and ask them to return color to him and his land. The color fairies aren’t very helpful, with the exception of one. She is different, like Bob. Once again, Bob and the reader are reminded that we should celebrate our differences.

It is nicely done and well expressed. It is suitable for second graders and up, or read by a parents to younger kids.

Ever
since raiders from the north began attacking villages, Lady Nicole
Montagna has known that defending her people would come at a
cost. The betrothal of her sister Chloe to a neighboring lord
seems the perfect solution, forging a powerful alliance. But
shortly before the wedding, Nicole is shocked to discover that her
sister is with child—and not by her husband-to-be. Now she
must make a choice. She has just hours to decide . . .

~Should
she tell her soldier brother—who will take swift, ruthless action
to ensure the family’s safety?

~Should
she hold her tongue, let her sister deceive her husband into
believing the child is his—and then hope Chloe can get away with
the lie?

~Should
she tell her family, hoping they will know the right thing to
do?

With
the help of a magic mirror, Nicole lives out each path, fighting to
protect herself and those she loves with the weapons she has: wits,
herbs, and fortitude. But no matter her cleverness, neither she nor
her family can escape unscathed—for there are repercussions she
could never have foreseen, involving her own heart . . .

A
CHOICE OF SECRETS

New
York Times bestselling
author Barb Hendee spins a tale of intrigue, integrity, and the bonds
of love and loyalty as one young woman finds her place in a turbulent
world . . .

Kara,
as a ward with no parentage and no future, has been raised knowing
nothing outside her lady’s chambers. Until Royce Capello, a
visiting nobleman, is struck by her ice-pale looks, and demands her
as payment for the land the family needs.

With
barely time to protest, Kara is sold and packed off for a life as a
concubine—until a raiding party descends on Royce’s company and
she’s kidnapped for the second time in as many days.

Whatever
happens, Kara will be alone in the world, inexperienced and fearing
even the vast unfamiliar sky. But one raider gives her a choice—and
a magic mirror appears to show her where each path will lead…

She
can leave with her protector Raven and journey with his performing
troupe, competing for his mercurial affections.

She
can flee the raiders’ settlement, and return to Royce’s manor,
chattel among devious nobility.

Or
she can stay in the settlement, bound to firm, silent Caine, who is
as gentle as he is staid and inscrutable.

Her
fates twist and turn to affect far more than she could have guessed,
tangling the bitter with the sweet—and Kara must choose which
consequences she can live with…

Olivia
Geroux knew her king was reluctant to marry her, whatever the
negotiations had arranged. But she never expected to find handsome,
arrogant King Rowan obsessed with his stepsister instead. And before
she can determine what course to take, she overhears her greatest
ally plotting to murder the princess.

Olivia
must act quickly—and live with whatever chaos results. As the
assassin hunts his prey, a magic mirror appears to show Olivia the
three paths that open before her . . .

If
she hesitates only a moment, the princess will die—and she will
become queen.

If
she calls for help, she will gain great power—but she must also
thrust away her own happiness.

If
she runs to stop the murder herself, she will know love and
contentment—but her whole country will suffer.

As
she lives out each path, her wits and courage will be tested as she
fights to protect her people, her friends, and her heart. And
deciding which to follow will be far from easy . . .

On
her seventeenth birthday, Megan of Chaumont discovers she’ll be
sold as a bride to the brutish Volodane family—within hours. Her
father grants only that she may choose which one of the ruthless,
grasping lord’s three sons she weds:

Rolf,
the eldest: stern, ambitious, and loyal?

Sebastian,
the second son: sympathetic, sly, and rebellious?

Or
Kai, the youngest: bitter, brooding, and proud?

As
shy, horrified Megan flees the welcome dinner for her in-laws-to-be,
she finds an enchanted mirror that will display how her life unrolls
with each man, as if she were living it out in a breath. But there is
no smooth “happily ever after” in her choices.

Deaths
and honors, joys and agonies, intrigues and escapes await her in a
remote, ramshackle keep, where these rough but complex men reveal one
side and then another of their jagged characters—and bring forth
new aspects of Megan, too. But the decisions of one teenaged
marriage-pawn reverberate much farther than any of them have guessed
. . .

Barb
Hendee is the New York Times bestselling author of The
Mist-Torn Witches series. She is the co-author (with husband J.C.) of
the Noble Dead Saga. She holds a master’s degree in
composition/rhetoric from the University of Idaho and currently
teaches writing for Umpqua Community College. She and J.C. live in a
quirky two-level townhouse just south of Portland, Oregon.

Georgia
Thackery is feeling pretty good about her summer job teaching at
prestigious Overfeld College, and she’s renting a rustic cabin
right by a lake for herself, her daughter, Madison, and her best
friend, Sid the Skeleton. Together again, the trio are enjoying the
quiet when a teenager named Jen shows up looking for her friend.
Georgia doesn’t recognize the name, but she learns that the person
Jen was looking for is actually Sid.

Sid
reveals that he and Jen are part of a regular online gaming group
that formed locally, and one of their members has gone missing. Sid
admits that he might have bragged about his investigative prowess,
enough so that Jen wants him to find their missing player. Given that
Sid doesn’t have many friends offline—none, really, unless you
count the Thackery family—Georgia agrees to help him search. They
manage to discreetly enlist Jen, who lives in town, and follow the
clues to… a dead buddy.

Now
they’ve got a killer on their hands. Probing the life of Sid’s
friend, they realize a lot is wrong both on campus and in the
seemingly quaint town, and someone doesn’t want them looking
deeper.

ThoughLeigh Perry was born in Pensacola, FL and raised in Charlotte,
NC, she has been living north of Boston, MA for 26 years or so. She
shares the house with her husband, two daughters, two guinea pigs,
and a ludicrous selection of books. While the population of people
and guinea pigs stays constant, the number of books is on an
ever-rising curve. Under the name Toni L.P. Kelner, she’s published
eleven novels and twenty-something short stories, as well as
co-edited six urban fantasy anthologies with New York Times
bestseller Charlaine Harris.

When
Rhea and Amor-el defeated the vampire horde, they thought they
won.

When
Rhea birthed Destin, the miracle son, they thought they fulfilled an
ancient prophecy.

When
the blue roses bloomed, they thought they achieved a long-denied
bliss.

They
were wrong.

Now,
the blue roses are dying. A tarot card reading warns of impending
dangers and an impossible future. In this gripping sequel to the
bestselling Time and Blood, a strangely ailing Rhea, a desperate
Amor-el, and a jealous Destin must confront familiar enemies banding
together against Rhea and her bower family. These powerful
adversaries plan to kill the phoenix, her lover, and her son; steal
The Great Book of Forgetting, and end the prophecy.

When
arson and murder strike too close to friends, they question loyalties
and deny love when they need it most. Blood stains the bower.

To
protect her family and the prophecy Rhea makes the ultimate
sacrifice. After all, in the battle between love and blood, blood
never lies.

Historians
in Atlantis inscribed a prophecy in The Great Book of Forgetting
about a pair of phoenix whose union would change the future of all
magical creatures. When the sea swallowed Atlantis and all her
inhabitants, time forgot the people and this prophecy.

But
one creature survived.

Rhea
is a scarlet phoenix and the last of her kind. She escaped Atlantis
with The Great Book and for over ten thousand years roamed the earth,
grieved for her lost immortal beloved, and endured nightmares from
her past lives. Today, she hears a familiar voice on the wind luring
her to a new place. Rhea follows and hopes for the impossible.

She
crossed millennia to find him.

Jean-Louis
is a 250-year-old vampire in New Orleans. For fifty years, nightmares
plagued him, and a violent wind haunted him whispering in a foreign
tongue. In his dreams, Jean-Louis sees the face of a woman he knows
and aches for but has never met. He feels her approach; however, the
vampire senses a connecting malevolence waits in the shadows.

He
risks his immortality to keep her.

An
accident will bring Rhea into Jean-Louis’ arms. The shock will give
new life to the ancient prophecy. But others whisper of the legendary
phoenix and are hunting for Rhea. They must steal The Great Book and
prevent any chance of the prophecy’s fulfillment. If they fail, the
phoenix must die.

Together
they battle destiny for the future.

Rhea
will risk everything for love, even death.

When
time and blood converge, blood must win.

2018 Global Ebook
Awards Legacy Award for Excellence

2018 Global Ebook
Awards Gold Medalist (Cover)

When
Atlantis fell into the sea, a single creature survived–a scarlet
phoenix. She escaped with ancient man’s historical record, The
Great Book of Forgetting. This book recorded mankind’s every legend
and prophecy. Only the Archangel of Death understood man’s survival
depended on the fulfillment of one particular prophecy, that of the
scarlet phoenix.

Rhea
is the scarlet phoenix, transmuted into human form with wings of
fire. She hides The Great Book from those seeking to steal it and
prevent the prophecy. The Archangel befriends and protects her as he
watches her traverse time and mold history. She is the proverbial
rose that blooms in a future garden.

Jean-Louis
Riviere is an aristocrat who became a vampire during the American
Revolution. He is haunted by an ill wind whispering strange and
incredible possibilities. His family ties will lure those who wish to
destroy the prophecy; however, the Archangel also knows his blood is
all that will save the rose and secure the future

Drahomira
is a gypsy, a bastard princess, and a vampire. The Archangel of Death
chose her to protect the phoenix because she is an irreverent killer
but loyal to family. She will journey across continents and be the
catalyst that brings Rhea and Jean-Louis together. First, she must
leave her people, her throne, and her lover, cross a continent for
vengeance, die, and be reborn. Only then will she discover that she
is the rose’s legendary thorn in the Evening Bower.

Sherry
Rentschler’s fiction and poetry has appeared online and in print.
She’s a previous Assistant Editor, Amateur Poetry Journal (online),
and a newspaper photojournalist. She lived in Italy, traveling around
Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and
Greenland.

Rentschler has three award-winning books of poetry,
a fictional memoir and an award-winning and bestselling paranormal
romance series, The Evening Bower. Her one book of photography, I
Wish You Joy is Rentschler’s only photographic compellation and makes
a lovely coffee table pictorial.

Among Sherry’s numerous
awards include a 2018 Global Ebook Legacy Award, a 2018 Global Ebook
Gold Award, two 2018 Global Ebook Silver awards for Fiction, a 2018
Readers Favorite Honorable Mention for her fantasies The Gypsy Thorn,
and Time and Blood. Plus two 2017 National Indie Excellence Award
Finalists (The Book of Now interior and poetry), 2017 eLit Book
Silver Award for poetry (The Book of Now), a 2017 Indie Press Award
for the cover of her non-fiction poetry, The Book of Now, 2017
Readers’ Favorite 5 Star reviews for Breaking the Glass Slipper, and
The Book of Now.

Among her hobbies are all things vampire,
plus dragon collecting, photographing trees, and dancing with
faeries. She loves old Sherlock Holmes movies, reading urban and
gothic fantasies, fine wine, and consuming rich, dark chocolate.
Rentschler is a retired USAF veteran and currently resides in North
Carolina with her husband, also a retired USAF veteran. They await
the return of the dragons.

The
Hunters of Infinity have guarded the Daharian galaxy for ages, but
when betrayed, they can become a vicious enemy . . .

Jessop,
the first woman to join the Hunters, has finally been reunited with
those who mean the most to her. In her quest for vengeance, she has
left many embittered and betrayed, chief among them Kohl O’Hanlon,
the Hunter who once loved her.

Now,
as the feared Falco Bane leads his forces into the Hunters’
territory, Kohl attempts to retaliate, flooding their infamous Shadow
City with his own followers. Jessop must fight a war on two fronts,
testing her commitment to the ones she loves and challenging her
abilities as the most elite warrior among the Hunters. With the
future of Daharia’s leadership at stake, Jessop is determined to
protect those closest to her at all costs . But when allies turn into
adversaries, the real threat comes from a place least expected . . .

The
Hunters of Infinity have been protecting the Daharian galaxy for
years, but there has never been a female Hunter—until now.In
a seedy bar in the shadowy corners of Daharia, Jessop comes to the
rescue of young Hunter Kohl O’Hanlon. Impressed by her remarkable
sword-wielding skills, the Hunters invite her to their training
facility, the Glass Blade, though not all are pleased with the
intrusion. But they soon discover that Jessop learned to fight from
the rogue leader of the Shadow City of Aranthol—and escaped.
Now they want to use her intimate knowledge of their enemy to destroy
him.As
Jessop grows closer to this elite brotherhood, their leader succumbs
to a mysterious ailment, and Kohl learns that Jessop is hiding dark
secrets, raising suspicions about the enigmatic woman who saved his
life. Has the Hunters’ security been breached—or do they have a
traitor in their ranks?Allegiances
will be questioned.Loyalties
will be betrayed.Vengeance
will be brutal.“This
thrilling, action-packed debut ties together a strong characters with
a building story line that will have readers clamoring for the next
volume in this new series.” —Library
Journal,
STARRED REVIEW, on The
Glass Blade

Ryan
Wieser completed her B.A. in Sociology and Socio-Legal
Studies before going on to complete her MSc. in Experimental
Psychology. Having been raised in Africa and educated across multiple
countries, Ryan has a passion for travel and an interest in diverse
cultures. She currently resides in Wyoming with her husband, where
she is writing her next book.

For fans of A Knight of Silence and Read My Lips comes a YA historical western full of grit and heart…

In 1874, Ivy Steele’s deafness is more than a handicap. It’s a disease. Surrounded by a family that doesn’t understand her, she’s learned to cope and find solace where she can. Then, the unexpected happens. Her aunt dies, and her uncle sends her away to rejoin her father’s family in Montana.Left to fend for herself, after the companion hired to escort her abandons her, sixteen-year-old Ivy faces continual hardship and danger. Several men see an unaccompanied Ivy as a flower ripe for the picking, and things only get worse when masked men hold up their stagecoach.

Barely scraping through, Ivy makes it to Montana with her nerves shaken and what little money she has in her boot. Expecting a peaceful if not affectionate welcome, Ivy finds herself in greater hardship than she’s ever known.

Surrounded by a stepfamily that hates her, and flung into a life where hearing is vital, Ivy finds solace in a handsome cowboy named Remy. But things with her new family are not what they seem. And Ivy is about to find out that the danger she faced on the journey west, has followed her to Montana…

Bethany Swafford dazzles with her stunning young adult debut, introducing a strong heroine, the hardships of frontier life, shocking twists, and a slow-burning romance that will leave you wanting more.

For as long as she can remember, Bethany Swafford has loved reading books. That love of words extended to writing as she grew older and when it became more difficult to find a ‘clean’ book, she determined to write her own. Among her favorite authors is Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer.

When she doesn’t have pen to paper (or fingertips to laptop keyboard), she can generally be found with a book in hand. In her spare time, Bethany reviews books for a book site called More Than A Review.